Media Releases

Appointment of Registrar, Supreme Court

Singapore, 5 January 2015 - The President of the Republic of Singapore, on the recommendation of the Chief Justice, has appointed Mr Vincent Hoong Seng Lei as the Registrar of the Supreme Court with effect from 1 April 2015 or such earlier date as the Chief Justice may designate, pursuant to section 61(1) of the Supreme Court of Judicature Act (Chapter 322). Mr Foo Chee Hock, the current Registrar of the Supreme Court, will take up an appointment as a Judicial Commissioner of the Supreme Court on or before 1 April 2015.

2 Mr Foo was appointed the Registrar of the Supreme Court on 15 April 2009 having earlier been appointed as the Acting Registrar on 11 April 2008. His career in the Singapore Legal Service has spanned more than three decades, during which he held various appointments including as District Judge, Coroner and Senior Deputy Registrar in the then-State Court, as the Registrar of the Appeals Board (Land Acquisition) and as the Assistant Director of the Legal Aid Bureau. Mr Foo obtained his Bachelor of Laws from the National University of Singapore in 1984 and received his Master of Laws from the University of Cambridge.

3 Mr Hoong graduated from the National University of Singapore in 1982 with a Bachelor of Laws. He was admitted to the Supreme Court in 1983 as an advocate and solicitor and spent one year in private practice before joining the Singapore Legal Service in 1984. Since then, he has held various appointments in the Supreme Court, the then-State Courts, the Registry of Titles and Deeds as well as the Singapore Land Authority (SLA). In 2009, he was appointed the Chief Executive of the Singapore Land Authority and concurrently as the Registrar of Titles and Controller of Residential Property.

4 In appreciation of Mr Foo’s dedicated service to the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said, “I thank Chee Hock for his invaluable contributions to the Supreme Court during his term of service as Registrar. Under his stewardship, the Supreme Court launched the eLitigation system that benefited the Judiciary and court users immensely. He was also the driving force behind the Learning Court and “The Living Courthouse” that helped to demystify the Judiciary and made the Courts more accessible to the general public. Chee Hock also oversaw the implementation of the docket system in the High Court. In his new appointment as a Judicial Commissioner, Chee Hock will also oversee the Singapore Judicial College and I look forward to working with him on this major initiative dedicated to the training and development of Judges and Judicial Officers. ”